Six minutes of news from around the nation.

Hegseth could lead troops who'd face getting fired for actions he's done in the past; Strong Santa Ana winds return for SoCal; Southeast Asian refugees in MA fear deportation, seek Biden pardon; RSV rise puts Indiana hospitals on alert; CT lawmakers urged to focus on LGBTQ+ legislation.

Transcript

The Public News Service Daily Newscast, January the 15th, 2025.

I'm Mike Clifford.

If Pete Hegseth were still in uniform, his extramarital affairs and a decision to flatly ignore a combat commander's directive would not just be drawing the attention of senators.

They could have run afoul of military law.

That for the Associated Press.

The report is raising questions among current and former defense leaders and veterans about whether Hegseth would be able to enforce discipline in the ranks of confirmed as President-elect Trump's Defense Secretary.

Hegseth would oversee more than two million troops who could be disciplined or kicked out of the service for the same behavior he has acknowledged or been accused of in the past.

Next from the Weather Channel, as the Palisades fire rages, wind will continue to fan the flames.

Four separate blazes in Los Angeles County have consumed more than 62 square miles, an area larger than the city of Paris.

Three fires, the Palisades-Eaton and Hearst fires, continue to burn.

And Southeast Asian refugees at risk of deportation in states like Massachusetts are asking President Biden to pardon them before he leaves office.

Deportations skyrocketed under the first Trump administration with removals of Cambodians up nearly 300 percent.

Kevin Lam, with the Southeast Asian Freedom Network, says many Vietnam War refugees lacked the resources to apply for citizenship and risk being separated from their families once again.

There's action that the Biden administration can take right now to truly protect immigrant and refugee communities from the threat of detentions and deportations under Trump.

Lam says that includes extending the temporary protected status for immigrants from countries impacted by war or other dangerous conditions and protecting DACA recipients with new H-1B visas.

I'm Catherine Carley.

Last month, Biden granted clemency to nearly 1,500 Americans and said he would consider more pardons before the end of his term next week.

Lam says that refugees who fled U.S. military intervention to rebuild their lives deserve the same chance.

Next, Indiana hospitals report an increase in respiratory RSV cases with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirming the seasonal surge.

Some hospitals have posted visitor restrictions to reduce the virus's spread.

Franciscan Health in Indianapolis has adopted precautionary measures as RSV cases climb.

Dr. Christopher Doering says the virus spikes at this time of year.

Most of the respiratory viruses, the weather turns cooler and people spend more time inside around each other.

It's just highly contagious.

RSV causes mild cold-like symptoms in healthy adults and older children, but it poses serious risks to vulnerable groups.

This story was produced with original reporting from Kat Sandoval for Wish TV.

I'm Joe Ulery.

This is Public News Service.

Advocates for the LGBTQ+ community want Connecticut lawmakers to consider bills that would help address a variety of this community's needs.

They include legislation to ensure LGBTQ+ seniors in long-term care facilities aren't discriminated against and expanding protections under no-fault eviction legislation.

William Oleos with the LGBTQ+ Justice and Opportunity Network notes the group is also looking for funding to update a needs assessment that was first done in 2021.

Every couple of years, because community needs change.

If you're talking about any marginalized community, queer folks, people of color, immigrants, their needs are gonna change year to year.

And especially after COVID, we just really need that updated data to try and inform some of the additional legislation that we're talking about.

The current needs assessment finds 69 percent of people in this community have experienced discrimination.

Oleos says other issues legislators should work on include safe school initiatives that prevent queer kids from being bullied and mental health care.

I'm Edwin J. Vieira.

And after nearly a decade of service in the state legislature, this Colorado lawmaker is doubling down on climate goals.

In 2019, Colorado lawmakers set goals for cutting climate pollution by at least half by the year 2030 and by 90 percent by 2050 compared with 2005 levels.

State Senator Faith Winter says Colorado is not making enough progress.

So she's introduced a new bill that aims to cut fossil fuel emissions by giving Coloradans more transportation options.

Winter says when people have safe and reliable alternatives and leave their car at home, everyone benefits.

And even if you are a person that never wants to get on a bus or a train or ride an e-bike, when others have that easy choice and make that choice, it reduces congestion and traffic for you.

Winter says SB 2530 would also benefit public health.

I'm Eric Galatas.

Finally, Kentucky groups are working to reduce overdose deaths among minority populations.

According to state data, overdose deaths are on the decline, but among black residents, there were around 68 deaths per 100,000 people last year.

That's more than 51 percent greater than the overall rate of deaths.

In Franklin County, Matt Johnson with the CARES Coalition says the county is struggling with a lack of emergency shelter and medical services for undocumented individuals.

The coalition's Community Connectors Project aims to go door to door in neighborhoods to help residents access the services they need.

People who don't necessarily have a visa or a green card or even health insurance, we need them to be able to go and receive services for kids to be able to see dentists, especially within our minority population, has been a challenge.

The coalition is one of 10 organizations awarded $50,000 grants from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky's Funding for Recovery, Equity and Expansion Program.

Nadia Ramligan reporting.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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